Softball Game Preview: Hickory Hawks vs. Great Bridge Wildcats

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Previous Games

04/10/25 - Home	6-3 W
04/23/24 - Home	11-0 W
04/12/24 - Away	5-3 W
05/11/23 - Away	8-1 W
04/04/23 - Home	14-1 W
+ 5 more games

Hickory has gone 8-2 against Great Bridge recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Tuesday. The Hawks will head out to challenge the Wildcats at 5:45 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Hickory 0.8, Great Bridge 3) so any runs scored will be well earned.

Great Bridge's hitters are going to have their work cut out for them on Tuesday: Hickory hadn't allowed a single run the last three times they've hit the field. The Hawks blew past King's Fork 11-0 on Thursday. The Hawks might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine matches by six runs or more this season.

Meanwhile, Great Bridge entered their tilt with Western Branch on Thursday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 3-2 W against the Bruins. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Wildcats have posted against the Bruins since March 16, 2018.

Bailey Bliven spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on five hits and racked up nine Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Cassie Kleier, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run and three RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March of 2024. Gabby Parker also deserves some recognition as she scored her first run of the season.

Great Bridge's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-2. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.5 runs over those games. As for Hickory, their win bumped their record up to 11-2.

Hickory was able to grind out a solid victory over Great Bridge in their previous meeting on April 10th, winning 6-3. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Hawks since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.